Friday, May 8, 2009

Project Cars From The Past:1941 Ford

If you’ve been to the AACA Hershey meet every October more than once in your lifetime, you will have seen plenty of project cars. Some better than others. A handful could be considered laughably insane if you were to purchase it. Unless you relish even the most foolhardy attempt at reviving something that appeared to have been sitting in a river for 50-odd years. Such as this 1941 Ford.

If you’re questioning the location, it’s sitting in the former Blue Field - which was next to the White Field across Hershey Park Drive - back in 2003. A short stroll down the hill to the left of this picture would have deposited you right into the feared Yellow Field.

The car is actually, or rather was, a four-door Deluxe Station Wagon. A cardboard sign up front listed it - perhaps in a comedic attempt - as a “TV Car.” It went on: “Needs varnish. Has all hard to find woody brackets and braces. Good transmission, rear and front end. No visible cracks in engine. Rolls. Would like $800, open to offers.”

Truth be told, there was no telling if there was a straight-six or a V-8 hidden behind the acres of rust and terribly faded paint. But there was the lone center post left standing if you wanted to make a pattern; albeit a damaged one. And yes, it is a rare car - collectively, only 6,116 were produced with either engine, backed by a three-speed manual. The only other Ford it outsold in 1941 was the Special Fordor and its 3,838 units.

With a condition #1 value averaging near $79,000 today, what would you have done?